flowerchild

Sorry, that's against the *rules* for *security* reasons.

CATSA Screener

Yep, in spite of the hassle, I still wear steel-toed safety boots and natural fibre clothing when flying, just in case. I also carry a smoke-hood.

SDF_Traveler

It depends what you purchase. There are high quality products out there including "sport sandals" which are designed well, made specificaly for rugged outdoor use, and they will not come off your feet like other sandals or flipflops. At the same time there's also a lot of cheap junk on the market, when it comes to "airport friendly" footware. Additionally, when I travel (and often do a lot of walking) good, comfortable footware is important (and typically isn't cheap).

The chances of a real emergency happening on an airplane is also extremely low. The most important thing for me is that I have good, comfortable footware. I don't know about others, but on long-haul flights (especially long-haul overnighters) I will often remove my footware for additional comfort (many airlines provide ammenity kits with socks, eye shades, etc., on these long-haul flights).

As far as a smokehood, as CATSA screener commented on, I sometimes travel with one, but I primarily travel with it for use in the event of a hotel fire (which is much more likely than an aircraft fire when traveling).

After being in a hotel fire several years ago, I decided it would be a wise investment. While I'm not sure what the chances are of me being in another hotel fire, I'd say it's much greater than my chances of being involved in an aircraft accident.

In closing, when it comes to air travel, the most dangerous part of the journey is typically the automobile ride to/from the airport.

Best,

SDF_Traveler

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"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Ben Franklin

[This message has been edited by SDF_Traveler (edited 07-14-2003).]

NickP 1K

My shoes have NO METAL (Ecco's) however I've been subjected to 2nd searches WITHOUT setting off the metal detector.

TSA: Don't give me the BS about no metal in the shoes = no search.

My shoes are always off now, I take up an extra tray and hold up the line an extra 10 seconds (for the x-ray screener to process the extra tray)

dbk10

That article went out last Thursday. When I flew out of DCA on Friday they were announcing that they wanted everyone to remove their shows before stepping through security. I didn't remove my shoes, but nobody said anything to me.

This morning in LGA, I got yelled at for not removing my shoes and they wanded me afterwards and then took off my shoes to x-ray them. Couldn't they just use that little wipe thing that they use to check explosives in bags?

iluv2fly

LGA has been so inconsistent for me. Four times in the last month, they wanted me to remove my shoes (no metal, NEVER have beeped). All four times, they made me go to the side. Three times, they "wiped" them. The other, they x-rayed them. This all happened at the United security checkpoint. (Used for geographical reference only - I forget the gate/terminal numbers.)

The last time I was there (8 days ago), I went through the American checkpoint which is to the left of the United one. When I approached, I had a cup of soda and my same shoes. I was waiting to see what they were going to do/tell me, but the officer said "Step through, Sir." No secondary wanding/screeing. You sure don't know what to expect there. (And please don't tell me that's on purpose, either.)